Bring back the five second rule

People rarely bore me, I learnt early on that just about everyone has something to teach you if you let them. That's probably a good trait for a journo, as I imagine falling asleep during an interview isn't how one gets ahead... if you get me. One day a few moons ago I was interviewing a cleaner for an eco-home story. She scared the living cripes out of me when she told me how quickly our feet absorb chemicals used around the home. I tentatively asked her about a certain powder cleaner I used on my floors (blue and white and popular all over), she said it was one of the worst brands to clean with. Sheesh.

The following weekend I had a clean out of the cleaning cupboard. I rid the house of most of its chemicals in one swoop and then searched for the best possible eco, human and pet-friendly products. Thinking about doing the same? Here's a few reasons why it's worth it:

* Pets and children lick floors. Fact. Whatever you clean your floors with WILL end up in their stomachs no matter how thoroughly you rinse or wipe after.
* The warm water in your shower open the pores in your feet, face and everywhere else. It also picks up the chemicals you cleaned your shower with a delivers them straight into these pores and then into your bloodstream. Nasty much?
* The earth deserves better.
* Bleach colours dirt, it doesn't clean it. Also, the particles in bleach can cause reproductive, endocrine and immune system disorders.
* Allergies and skin conditions are caused or aggravated by being in constant contact with chemicals.
* Baking soda, white vinegar and lemons can clean almost every surface in your home. And they're so cheap they offset all the other fancy eco stuff you buy.

Shopping here is more fun than making your family sick, non?
Murchison-Hume, B_E_E & Eco Store

Just remember chemical cleaners don't do good things at landfill, so contact your local council for their recommendations on disposal.

Hey hot stuff

Recently while studying the intricacies of the human body and how it restores balance (i.e., doing my job), I came across some interesting info on yin and yang. Yin, the feminine, creative, quiet side of all of us, and yang, the masculine, logical, intense part, cannot be without each other, and we're constantly balancing the two (whether we know it or not).

Today's peep-talk is on yang. I have a friend who is hot, (and he's not Clive Owen). My friend, let's call him Gerario, is warmer than he should be and I'm concerned if this goes on forever it could make him unwell. Excess yang shows up in many ways, such as restlessness, lack of sleep, constipation, sweating, red face, hot body, dry throat and constant thirst. It can be due to a stressful situation (chronic or momentary), overthinking, too much alcohol and spicy food. The result is no fun at all and can lead to problems with the stomach, kidneys, liver, heart and lungs.

Cooling foods to help ease the yang include apple, apricot, bok choy, broccoli, carrot, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, eggplant, melons, pearl barley, spinach and watercress. Include these in your diet regularly, but don't base all your meals on these foods. Be sure to eat plenty of raw vegies as well as steamed or baked. And see a Chinese herbalist for some magic potions that are sure to help.

Lifestyle changes you can make to chill yourself out include reading and shushing the mind every day. Add a bit more blue and green into your wardrobe or surrounds, don't spend all day in the sun (if your house is big-time sunny, get some thick curtains to block the afternoon sun) and keep your home as relaxing as possible (leave the TV off most of the time, especially while you eat. Classical music is your friend). Sitting in a pool eating ice-cream doesn't count.

Candy for your skin

Gorgeous skin glows. There are many things you can do to achieve dewy, youthful cheeks - good diet, regular exfoliation, the perfect moisturiser - but my new favourite trick is the easiest of them all: the face mist. Some contain essential oils to perk you up or chill you out, a few are more hydrating that others, but all in all a face mist is a portable bottle of skin love every gal should have with her. I have one in the bathroom and one on my desk to spritz as regularly as a perfume pusher in a department store.

Be Genki is the range I heart the most - for lip balms, creams, and most defo the mist. Sam, the gorgeous owner of the company, is zen personified. She has four mists for $24 each: Sensuality, Serenity, Tranquility and Vitality. I also adore the new JW Organics range by Judith White. The Phyto-Mineral Rose Facial Mist smells like a bunch of roses - not a fake wannabe - and makes my skin feel delish. I'm also a fan of the Ole Henriksen range, especially the Balancing Cucumber Face Mist. There are so many good things in there and the smell is beyond perfect for the summer months.

Today I'm giving myself an early mark, we're heading south to stay with friends at their beach house. I can't wait to soak up the sea spray: the best face mist of them all! Happy weekend xx

Frankie says chillax

I used to worry and stress. A lot. I was overly fraught with such anxiety that I had digestive problems, skin breakouts and troubled sleep. I kept myself so freakishly busy, a poor attempt at distracting myself from the realities of my job. But the anxiety never went away, I hadn't learnt to deal with it, so I covered it up. The crazy thing is that I loved my job. Loved! I worked with talented, beautiful people and day to day I had a wonderful job. It just wasn't right.

Then I was retrenched. That night I couldn't sleep very well... I was too excited. The weight had been lifted, the gates had been opened, the payout was coming and I was on my own. I finally had a chance to do what I've always wanted - be a freelance writer from home - and I took it by the horns. It's been six months since that day and I haven't stressed for a second. Some weeks I work a helluva lot more than I used to, but there's no angst, just more tea and late nights doing what I love on the laptop.

So if you're stressed because of your job - love it or hate it - here's a few suggestions.

* Get a new job. It might take a few months, but if you truly hate your job, or the industry you're in, move on! Write down everything you're good at in one column, in another write everything you love in life. In the middle is a job that suits you perfectly. Tell friends you're looking for a new job, word of mouth is a powerful thing.

* Start a new exercise routine. If you're doing nothing, start today with something small. I promise it'll help. Walk a lot, even in the rain, go for a swim on the weekend or join a yoga class. If you already have a routine, mix it up a bit. Focus only on exercises that stretch you physically but calm you mentally, maybe join a team to meet new peeps.

* Stop smoking and give coffee and alcohol a break. You may think the cigarette soothes your nerves, the coffee gets you in the zone or the alcohol helps you cope, but the complete opposite is true. Smoking messes up your body, making it more sensitive to stress and emotions, alcohol doesn't solve anything and coffee winds anxiety up to new levels. Trust me amigos, I've been there.

* Find a hobby. No I don't mean knitting or stamp collecting, hobbies can include fashion design, stationery printing, photography, writing, illustrating, salami making, gardening or volunteering. Having something to delve into that you absolutely adore makes life worth living some days. And it might even lead to a new, fabulous career.

Yearning over a new leaf

I'm ever so slightly obsessed with tea. I can't work without it, literally cannot start my day if I don't have my sleepy little fingers wrapped around a warm mug. As I mentioned in a previous post (sorry to repeat) I'm off coffee, alcohol and sugary drinks (that would be almost everything else except water and tea) for a little while. So the zest which I used to reserve for discussing NZ Sauv Blancs, Mornington Pinot's and Hunter Chardonnay's has now gone into all things hot and leafy. Earl Grey for the early morning, Chai or white tea for late morning and green or dandelion for the afternoon.

I first delved into tea when I worked at Simon Johnson many moons ago. He stocks a wide range of Mariage Freres teas imported from France, and my goodness they're the most exceptional tea you've ever smelt or supped.

Tea, my dear...
* contains antioxidants called polyphenols which fight disease and keep you looking younger for longer
* lowers total cholesterol and raises good cholesterol
* keeps memory sharp as a tack
* has an effect on stress hormone levels in the body to help you relax
* releases caffeine slower than coffee thereby keeping you alert for longer without the crash

Try: making your own iced tea by infusing a teapot with a strong brew - dandelion and white are perfect - wait ten minutes, strain into a glass bottle and add some lemon and honey. When the bottle cools, keep it in the fridge for a balmy day chillout.

Buy: loose leaf tea and use teapots or individual strainers - and don't use more than a pinch. The best quality tea always goes into the tins of loose leaf while the dodgy small bits are sent straight to the tea-bagging factory. Plus, think of the landfill. (I know, I know, it's a tea bag. But they add up my peeps.)

Easy as apple cake

Cake is good. Cake with berries and ice-cream is even better. A cake that's good for you with local berries and organic ice-cream makes my heart just sing! So here's how you make the divine-alicious apple cake above. (Recipe adapted from Wholefood by the amazing Jude Blereau.)

Pre-heat oven to 160 degrees. Core, peel and finely slice 5 organic Granny Smith apples, toss in a bowl with zest and juice of one lemon. In another bowl, combine 85g oatmeal, 85g wholemeal spelt flour and 2 tspns baking powder. In another bowl (preferably attached to a KitchenAid, otherwise use electric beaters), whisk 200g raw or rapadura sugar and 3 eggs until creamy and thick. Slowly pour in 120g melted butter and flour mixture, beat gently until flour is incorporated and set aside for 5 minutes. Add 100ml organic milk (or less if the mixture gets too thin) and 1 tspn natural vanilla extract.

Discard juice from apples. Place 1/3 of cake mix into baking paper-lined 24cm cake tin, top with 1/3 of apples and continue until mix and apples are all in. Make a pretty pattern with the apples on top if you wish. Top with a small handful of crushed walnuts and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Bake for 1hr, 20 mins, remove when knife in centre comes out clean. Let it cool on a wire rack, invite friends around if they're really worth it (or they have a good sticky) and enjoy amigos!

See you at the beach

I love Summer. I love getting sandy and salty at the beach, feral at a picnic or indulgent at a long BBQ lunch. Rolling home in a sunny daze I'll jump in the shower, cover myself in rich body lotion, change into the comfiest thing within my lazy reach and curl up with a magazine or book. That feeling right there is the best. It's like I've been bear-hugged by Mother Nature and everything is right again in the world.

A part of that feeling is, controversially, being kissed by the sun. I understand Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world - we need to wear sunscreen every day and not pursue a tan at a risk to our health. But I also think the sun's rays are vital to our wellbeing and shouldn't be shunned altogether. Here's why:

* Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium, helps regulate cell growth, boosts fertility, relieves PMS, assists with weight loss, reduces asthma symptoms and protects against radiation.
* Vitamin D may also prevent cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, rickets, osteomalacia, osteoporosis, arthritis, hypertension, heart failure, TB, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Crohn's and Alzheimer's.
* Studies have shown that vitamin D actually protects the skin against UV damage, reducing the amount of DNA damage caused and the number of sunburnt cells.

My advice? Strip off (just a little) and get ten minutes of blissful sunshine - without sunscreen - every day. There are plenty of food products in the supermarket fortified with vitamin D but they come nowhere near close to nature's perfect dose. See you at the beach.